“Introduction”Chicago Transit Authority, 1969 “This was a powerful musical statement written by Terry Kath that set the tone for our band’s first album,” says Seraphine. “The song was inspired by the Don Ellis Big Band recording called ‘Autumn,’ which we were all listening to at the time. ‘Introduction’ embodied the essence of what Chicago was all about, and it demanded every bit of talent, musicianship, and concentration from everyone in the band. It consisted of three time changes 4/4, 19/8, and 3/4, as well as four tempo changes. The 19/8 section was counted like this: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2. We had just learned the song when we played the Whiskey in 1968, and I still had those numbers written on my snare drum head on how to subdivide the 19/8 section.” Ex. 1 — “Introduction” is a great example of Chicago’s powerful musical prowess as […]

January 2022 Issue